Do you like leather? Do you like motorbikes? Do you like both of these things? Do you like both of…read morethese things in a way that has no connotations whatsoever with the Hell's Angels? If the answer to all of the above questions is yes, then you really are going to like Dainese a lot. Dainese sell jackets and trousers that are leather but are all modern and actually quite good looking at the same time. There is some serious biking gear in here and plenty of staff to help you with any questions you might have. They also stock a range of baffling (to me at least) protective devices for your back, knees and things like that. They're meant to stop you getting too hurt when you fly off your bike going at a ridiculous speed around a corner in the Lake District.

Oh yeah, I nearly forgot about this awesome place. This used to be my favorite shop. I am not…read morejoking. I've always like bikes and cars, just like a Tom boy. So, I used to ask all the time if any of my friends want a new helmet, or a new little thing for their bikes. Actually, because I was going in here so many times, at some point the owner came to me and asked me few questions. That was the point when I've asked if they need extra staff. Well, in exchange he said that I need to know quite a lot about bikes, stuff, and I left him quite surprised. Anyway, it didn't happen in the end. I got a different job meanwhile. But still, for the sake of it, sometimes I still go in there, happy like a little bunny. One day, I'm going to buy lots and lots of stuff from that shop. It's to dear to me, and too cool to be ignored.

This is one of the many shops like these in the UK and one which specialises in running…read more It has a massive selection of different styles of running trainers, clothing for men and women. I like going to this place for my sportswear because it is a lot cheaper than other sports stores like JD or JJB. They have major sports brands here like Adidas, Nike and Reebok so you know you are getting good quality stuff. This shop has been running for over 36 years so you know it is a good place. The staff are excellent here and will help you in whatever you are looking for. In particular running shoes to suit your shape etc. Take a look at their website for more information and to order goods too.

It's called Run North West now btw. Excellent service which…read moreyou just don't get off the internet. Went to the trouble of getting the right size for my daughter. Was £1 more expensive than the cheapest on eBay, no brainier really. Highly recommended

Ellis Brigham is located in Castlefield and sells equipment for outdoor sports. Although it covers…read moregear for climbing, hiking etc; it's main stock is Ski and Snowboard equipment. It sells everything from Skis and Ski boots to gloves, scarfs and hats. Ellis Brigham only stocks the most high quality brands and names such as The North Face, Solomon etc and for this reason is not cheap. It has a Ski boot fitting service where they will heat mould your ski boots to your feet; something every goos skier should have done. If Ski gear is what you're after and you know a lot about Skiing then here is your place. If your a first timer on the slopes it probaly isn't worth the investment of your time or money.

The team at Ellis Brigham is top notch, especially the service staff. Not only do they tweak…read moreill-fitting boots etc. but they do it with a smile and usually on the same day. Nothing is too much trouble! I admit that I tend to go to Ellis Brigham off season in order to miss the crowds in January / February. But the atmosphere in the store couldn't be more relaxed and the staff are always knowledgeable and friendly.

I found some boxer briefs on their website that are hard to find in the US. The price was OK and…read moreshipping not ridiculous. So I bought them. Yesterday I got an email from some intermediate outfit wanted me to pay tariff and VAT tax and "facilitation fee" almost as much as the items I purchased. No mention of this on their website at all. I have to decide whether to throw good money after bad. To me, withholding that kind of info is the same as fraud.

I like Sports Direct's Manchester Arndale location, it might not be the prettiest or most modern of…read moreshops inside the shopping centre, but it has a nice selection overall and is much less cluttered than other Sports Direct locations, such as the nearby location on Market Street, elsewhere in the city centre. It is in a good location within the shopping centre, it is basically opposite the escalators and car-park lifts on the lower mall. Most of the staff seem friendly, especially Ste, who is one of the security guards and a fantastic guy. I do prefer the selection of trainers at JD nearby, but the sportswear selection is at least on-par. 4*

Lab sports is a pretty handy place if you are a sports hobbiest and recurring customer. They offer…read morean advantage card free that entitles you to year round discounts and 25% off every £250 you spend at the store. They are also the only unofficial store to carry Cardiff City's footballing merchandise, from Kits to training wear as far as I'm aware. And no Liverpool/Man Utd gear, great! They also do running gear, shoes, Rugby and other footballing goods from what I can remember. The store is brightly lit and you can actually navigate between the products unlike other sporting goods shops. It's not as cheap as discount sports stores but this is for someone who is serious about their sport.

I am changing the review to one star. It already happened at least two times, when something is…read morewrong with the product, but according to store manager it's ok (in one of the cases I was able to get money back from the manufacturer). So, according to Blacks manager of the store it's perfectly fine when water bottles are falling out of rucksack on somebody's head. While this store is closing, I have no doubt Blacks will re-employ this wonderful understanding woman.

There are just so many outdoor-type shops on Deansgate, it's an absolute miracle that they all…read moremanage to stay in business? How do they do it? There must be at least six or seven. Ridiculous. Anyway, Blacks is absolutely similar to the rest of them. On the ground floor is where you'll find all the expensive but amazingly waterproof hiking jackets. Not even an ocean of water could get through these heavily gortexed items. Unfortunately, for protection like this you're going to have to pay for it to, and a jacket from Blacks could set you back as much as £200. This is serious clobber for serious hiking action. They do have some cheaper options, you'll just have to search a bit for them. Just like all the other outdoor stores on Deansgate, Blacks has a humungous basement which is where they stock all of their speciality outdoor pursuit gear. Like climbing equipment, hiking boots and camping stuff. This is an excellent shop, but just as excellent as all the other outdoor shops around this area.

I'm shocked that there are shops in Manchester that know about Nudie jeans, let alone a single shop…read morethat carries them. Are there Mancunians with that large a wad of cash burning a whole through their purses? Impressive! A chill, hipster-y gent sold the boy a super cute pair of Vans (casual shoes that aren't a shade of brown: success!) and explained the origins of the noteworthy bicycle saddles hanging up behind the till. Luxury skinny jeans and posh gear for your fixie... I mean, what else could a Williamsburg-wannabe desire, right?

Good style never comes cheap. This is especially true if you're a man. Most clothing boutiques and…read morehigh street stores cater for women and it's rare you find a store like this that offers so many unique quality items for the discerning young gentleman. This is the only store my boyfriend comes to for his trousers (in particular he Edwin brand of jeans) simply because you can't find them anywhere else. From Barbour to Oliver Spencer, Levis to YMC, they have such a well selected collection of labels that convey the best in British understated style.

In my ongoing quest for a buff beefcake body I thought it was about time I fixed myself up with…read moresome super fly trainers to match my swanky new gym membership... seeing as the previous shoes I had really were not made for anything more than fashion and my ankles were buckling badly! So the good news is that with my wife's direction I made the visit down to Up&Running to go on their in house treadmill and video set up to get a full analysis of what sort of shoes I need for the way my legs move. Wow - what service, after trying about 5 different shoes on and being filmed each time - I found the perfect pair. Maybe slightly more than I was hoping to pay at £80 but they did throw in a free shirt, shorts and socks which was cool so at least I'm now Up&Running (if you excuse the pun...) A really friendly bunch of guys who were helping me and a very professional service. This is one thing I was pleased to not just do online as they really measured me properly and made sure I had the right ones before leaving the store. Definitely check them out if you're needing new kicks for the gymnasium!

Have been meaning to review these guys for a while ever since I bought my trainers here…read more Unfortunately due to having size 8.5 feet I'm pretty constrained when it comes to shoe choice in general and I in particular had very limited colour options which means I now have some horrible 'raspberry' coloured trainers. On the plus side they are good quality ASICS which the helpful staff member dug out of the sale rack - says a lot that they would point me in the direction of discounted shoes to ensure I had the best fit (8.5 being in scarce supply on the full price options). Overall there's limited stock here and I was a bit disappointed I didn't get more advice and use of the running machine to identify a suitable pair, which was basically because there was only one staff member on duty on a quiet afternoon when several people unexpectedly turned up at once (contrast my experience with Jonny's - it might be worth going back another time if you turn up and it's busy). Still you can't go too wrong with ASICS and I noticed when I popped back recently to get a sports bra that of the limited selection they have of bras they also basically just stock the best brands. So while the stock they offer is limited they do seem to have selected the best available, as far as I can make out. Again the (different) staff were extremely helpful and friendly and not at all intimidating to the beginner/intermediate level runner. It's also a very convenient location on Deansgate so easy to drop by if you're in town.

Simon One is a small store in the Middleton Shopping Centre, in the same store as ISL, but they…read moreremain different shops, despite sharing a space which you can just cut through. They are owned by Loofe's Clothing, who have 4 stores in the Manchester area, which all have different names, this includes two stores in Bury, one in Warrington and this store in Middleton. They have a small range of sports-wear including trainers and football shirts of Manchester's major club, and a club from Trafford, who just share the Manchester half of the name. This store is only quite small, and with the new addition of SportsDirect and a similar store across the way, Branded and an increased number of clothing/fashion shops in Middleton, including a relocated Daniel Christian Menswear, there isn't really a lot here to look at. The staff seem okay, but they don't seem as helpful and as knowledgeable as larger stores, such as Clarks in the shoes department for example. The branding of this store is also a little strange, with the company owning 4 stores but having them all under different names, meaning people probably wouldn't know they are visiting a store owned by Simon One, if the go to a different branch and despite being a well known name to Residents of Middleton, if you ask anyone else, they simply wouldn't have a clue and brand recognition is important to succeed, even if there is only 4 stores in 3 towns, this could increase sales and people wanting to go to stores in the whole brand. Overall, this store over time has been getting worse and worse as the competition has been growing in Middleton and getting better, and better. At one point in time, this store could have got 3 stars but as competition improves, sadly this store doesn't and now compared to the rest of Middleton, unless a major revamp happens it just is another unneeded shop, and sadly deserves a single one star.

Great one stop shop for pretty much all major out door activities. Good range of equiptment, well…read morepriced and helpful staff on hand to assist you. They have a cycle surgery for maintainance and repairs to bikes. Good range of footwear and kit for the snow. It's a good idea to call ahead should you be after something specific just to check it's in stock.